Program-clock.



PATENTED SEPT. 27, 1904.

C. L. HAYES. PROGRAM CLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25, 1903.

NO MODEL.

e x 1 1C UNITED STATES Patented September 27, 1904.

CLEBURNE LEE HAYES, OF LEBANON, TENNESSEE.

PROGRAM-CLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 770,902, datedSeptember 27', 1904.

Application filed September 25, 1903. Serial No. 174,614- (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLEBURNE LEE HAYES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lebanon, in the county of Vilson and State of Tennessee,have invented a new and useful Program-Clock, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in program-clocks orclocks of that general character employed for the closing of electricalalarm-circuits for the ringing of one or more alarms at any distancefrom the clock. These devices are employed for the sounding of alarms atdesired intervals in schools or other places where certain duties orlessons are scheduled for predetermined periods or for use in hotels andthe like where a clock in the clerks office will sound an alarm at apredetermined time in one or more of the rooms. i

The principal object of the invention is to improve, simplify, andcheapen the construction of such clocks,'to render the circuit-closingoperation more certain, and to provide for the closingof the circuit forany desired length of time in order that either a momentary or prolongedsignal may be sounded.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter with mechanism so arranged as to permit a single hand toaccomplish the closing of more than one circuit, so that alarms ofdifferent character and situated at different points may be under thecontrol of a single timing mechanism.

WVith these and other objects in view, as will hereinafter more fullyappear, the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangementof parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it beingunderstood that various changes in the form, proportions, size and minordetails of the structure may be made without departing from the spiritor sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a face view of a clockconstructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a detailperspective view looking from the under or inner face of the hour-hand.Fig. 3 is a sectional plan View of the face of the clock, illustratingthe construction of the rings for carrying the adjustablecircuit-closers. Figs. l and 5 are detail perspective views of differentforms of circuit-closing pins which may be employed. Fig. 6 is a detailView of a slightlymodified form of contact. Fig. 7 is a detail sectionalview showing the connection between the hour-hand and thecircuit-closing lever.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

The clock mechanism proper is of the usual type and includes aminute-hand l and an hour-hand 2, the latter being specially constructedand formed of some good conducting material. The hands are mounted, asusual, on the central arbors of the clockframe, the hour-hand beingelectrically connected thereto and serving as a conductor, the frame ofthe clockwork being connected to a conductor 5, that is connected to onepole of a battery 6, the opposite pole of the battery being connected bya wire 7 to an alarm or relay 8 and said alarm or relay being connectedby a wire 9 to a metallic ring 10, arranged outside the dial andconcentric therewith. The ring 10 may be formed of brass or othersuitable metal and is preferably arranged with its outer face flush withthat of the dial. In this ring are formed a large number of threadedopenings 11, adapted for the reception of circuit-closing pins 12, whichmay vary in construction in accordance with the character of the signalto be sent; but each of the pins is provided with a yieldable point orend to be engaged by a circuit-closing member carried by the hour-hand.Secured to the outer end of the hour-hand is a stud 14:, forming a pivotfor a small metallic block 15, having a tubular socket 16 for thepassage of a contact-lever 17, at the opposite ends of which areyieldable pins 18 for engagement with the similar pins of the contactdevices carried by the ring 10, the outer pin only engaging thesecontact devices, while the inner pin is maintained in engagement with adepending pin 19, carried by the hourhand and electrically connectedthereto. The

tubular socket 16 is provided with a sleeve 20, forming aninsulating-lining between the contact-lever and the block 15, and saidblock is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 1 by means of aspring 21, of which the outer end is connected to a loop or eye 22,carried by the block, and the inner end is clamped in a slotted block23, arranged on the under side of the hour-hand. This spring normallytends to hold the inner pin of the contactlever in engagement with thepin 19 and maintain the outer pin in such position as to engage thecontacts of the ring 10, but being sufiiciently light to yield freelyimmediately after the closing of the alarm-circuit and permit thepassage of the contact-arm past the pin or other contact device which itengages.

Owing to the slow travel of the hour-hand, it is not desirable to employa circuit-closing device which would remain in contact with a stationarycircuit-closer and be moved out of engagement therewith by continuedtravel of the hour-hand. This movement will result in the sounding of aprolonged signal and will be unnecessary to accomplish the purpose forwhich the program-clock is intended. In the present case it will beobserved that the circuit is maintained closed for a very short periodof time and can only be maintained closed during the time thecontactlever is in engagement with the pin 19 and one of the contactdevices carried by the ring 10. As soon as continued movement of thehour-hand results in a partial rotative movement of the block 15 thecircuit is broken and the alarm ceases.

In the drawings there is shown a single alarm, which may be located atany desired distance from the clock, or a series of alarms may bedistributed throughout a building and all connected with the same timingdevice, or a relay may take the place of the alarm and the severalbells, buzzers, or other alarms arranged in the relay-circuit. Thering-contacts 12 are in the form of pins, preferably of yieldablematerial and having their lower ends secured to the heads of screws 30,which may be fitted in any one of the thread ed openings formed in thering 10. The heads of the screws are milled or serrated, as shown inFig. 4L, in order to permit their ready introduction into the openings.In some cases it may be desirable to prolong the contact, and in suchcases the contact-pin is preferably provided with a coiled or voluteportion intermediate of its length and formed of yieldable material thatwill offer less resistance than the spring 21, so that the circuit maybe maintained closed for any desired length of time. This constructionis illustrated in Fig.4.

Where the clock is employed in connection with a school, academy,factory, or other place, it may be desired to energize difierentcircuits for the sounding of different alarms ing of the gong at thecommencement of work--and in such casesI preferably employ an additionalcontact, such asindicated in Fig. 6, wherein 33 designates a base-platethat may be secured to the Woodwork surrounding the ring 10 and form oneof the terminals of the gong circuit. This plate is insulated from thering 10 and carries a finger 34:, that is bent outward and downward intoalinement with the circular row of contacts carried by the ring, so thatwhen the hour-hand of the clock travels past the finger 34L thegong-circuit will be energized without energizing any of the remainingalarms in the building. This feature of the invention may be carried outto a further extent by the employment of one or more additional rings orsegments, as indicated in Fig. 3, wherein 36 designates an outer ring orsegment preferably disposed in a different plane from that in which thering 10 and the clock-dial are disposed. This auxiliary ring is providedwith one or more openings for the reception of threaded pins carryinginverted-U shaped contact-fingers 37, that are bent into the'path ofmovement of the hour-hand contact. In this manner auxiliary circuits maybe closed to sound alarms at any desired point without the sounding ofthe alarms in circuit with the ring 10. The contacts carried by the ring36 may vary in character, and the flexible contacts shown in Fig. 5 willsometimes be used to advantage where it may be necessary to sound analarm or alarms for a comparatively long period of time.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is I 1. Incombination, a timing mechanism including an hour-hand formed ofconducting material and included in an alarm-circuit, a contact formedrigid with the hand and revolving therewith, a block pivotally mountednear the outer end of the hand, a circuit-closing lever carried by butinsulated from the block, said lever having one of its ends normallyengaging the rigid contact, a spring of which one end is secured to thehand and the opposite end to the block, said spring serving to maintainthe lever in contact-engaging position, a ring or support forming thesecond terminal of the circuit and disposed concentric with the axis ofmovement of the hand, said ring being provided with a plurality ofopenings, and a contact-pin adjustable to any one of the openings andserving when engaged with a circuit-closing lever to move the latterfrom engagement with the stationary contact.

2. In combination, a timing mechanism including an hour-hand, a pivotedblock carried by the hour-hand, a spring secured at one end to the handand at its opposite end in engagement with the block, a tubular socketforming a part of the block, a circuit-closing lever extending throughthe socket, an insulatingduring the dayas, for instance, the sound Isleeve between the lever and the wall of the socket, a contact carriedby the hand and normally engaged by one end of the lever, said contactforming one terminal of an electric circuit, and an adjustable contactdisposed Within the path of movement of the opposite end of the lever,substantially as specified.

3. In a device of the class specified, a movable circuit-closer, aplurality of concentrically-disposed conductors, and contacts carried bysaid conductors, all of the contacts being disposed in a single annularrow in the path of movement ofthe movable circuit-closer.

4. In a program-clock, a circuit-closer carried by one of the hands ofthe clock, a plurality of concentrically disposed insulated supportsforming the terminals of difierent circuits, and adjustable contactscarried thereby, all of the contacts being disposed in a sin- CLEBURNELEE HAYES.

Witnesses:

JNo. B. STILEs, W. O. HENDON.

